Both Claudio Monteverdi and Salamone Rossi served at the court of Mantua in the 16th Century, by request of the Duchess Isabella d'Este Gonzaga, for over 30 years, creating and publishing both madrigals and chamber music. Rossi took the lead in the development of the Trio Sonata, linking together individual works into a new musical form. Our evening musical program, featuring the de Angelis Vocal Ensemble, is a historical “snap-shot,” highlighting the dialogue and exchang and the separate and shared musical territories of Jewish and Catholic cultures in Renaissance Italy. Join CSP immediately following the 60 minute concert for a private reception with Bishop Kevin Vann.

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Though largely unfamiliar to modern audiences, Salamone Rossi (circa 1570-1630) is one of the greatest figures in the music of Italy, bridging the end of the Renaissance and the beginning of the Baroque eras. One of the biggest-selling composers of his time, he was the primary instrumentalist at the Gonzaga court in Mantua, even more famous than his fellow composer, the great Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643). Rossi championed what was then a new instrument, the violin, established the first school for its study, and used it for his invention, the Trio Sonata, which became the most popular form of chamber music until Haydn developed the String Quartet nearly two centuries later. As if these distinctions were not enough, Rossi was also a Jew who was proud of his heritage and was the first to compose polyphonic music to Hebrew texts. He was the first Jewish composer in European history to participate and contribute proudly and profoundly in both worlds without converting, and in the centuries since, there have been precious few who displayed his strength of character and identity.

Rossi also published a collection of Jewish liturgical music, “Ha-shirim asher l'Shlomo,” “The Songs of Solomon,” in 1623. This was written in the Baroque tradition and (almost) entirely unconnected to traditional Jewish cantor-style music. This was an unprecedented development in synagogue music, as until recently polyphonic music in the synagogue had been forbidden, following the destruction of the Temple. Rabbi Leo of Modena wrote a book in order to justify Rossi's music in a Jewish context. Most rabbinical authorities banned music-making as inappropriate after the destruction of the Temple.

The de Angelis Vocal Ensemble’s Rossi project purposes to bring to life this unique musical synergy with a concert of Rossi’s Chamber Music, Madrigals and most importantly, his polyphonic Hebrew Motets written for the Temple.